Mediation When Siblings Distrust Each other to Manage a Trust

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Dear Ms. Allison: My sister is the Trustee to my parents’ living trust. My brothers and I do not believe she will fairly divide the assets between all of us. She didn’t handle his life insurance right when my father died, and let it lapse. So why would she do things right when mother goes?…

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Family Battles: To Nursing Home or Not to Nursing Home?

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Dear Ms. Allison: My family is in a daily battle over my dad’s care. He has Alzheimer’s with anxiety, high blood pressure, and diabetes. He wanders and can’t tell if it’s daytime or nighttime. He also won’t eat properly, falls often and is twice Mom’s size. My mother gives constant attention on him but cannot…

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What estate disputes can be mediated?

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Dear Ms. Allison: What sorts of things can be mediated in a Will Contest or other estate dispute? Lily Rose, Western Oklahoma Dear Lily Rose:An estate dispute (anything involving an inheritance whether with a Will or from no planning) generally happens after the death of a family member or loved one. Occasionally, a dispute arises…

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What does mediating a customer dispute with a business do?

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Dear Ms. Allison: I have a dispute with a company. I keep trying to resolve it but think I am getting “the run around”. Things keep dragging out, on and on, but there is a time limit for me to take action and I have become suspicious that they are taking advantage of me by…

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Bringing outside talent into a family business succession debate?

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Dear Ms. Allison: My family is fighting over where to go next with our mid-sized company. We want to grow and some of us think we should bring in executives from outside the family to get a better perspective and add to our current skills. Others are afraid that letting in “outsiders” will lose control…

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Mediation and Grounds for Divorce in Oklahoma

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Dear Ms. Allison: I feel so stupid. My husband has told me for years that we cannot get a divorce because Oklahoma doesn’t have “no-fault” divorce. His reasoning has been that one of us (at least) would have to have the fault and it can’t be him because of his business, so he is “protecting”…

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How are mediations done under the Americans with Disabilities Act?

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Dear Ms. Allison: My sister is going to be involved in an Adult Care mediation. She is disabled. I heard that mediations are covered in the Americans with Disabilities Act so wondered if you could explain how my sister will be accommodated in this meeting. Angela in Iowa Dear Angela: Each mediator does his or…

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Who can clients invite to divorce mediation?

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Dear Ms. Allison: We want to do mediation instead of divorcing in court. We don’t want lawyers and judges interfering with our arrangements. But my friend said we have to have lawyers and maybe other people involved as well. And no matter what we mediate, we still have to go to court. What? Why even…

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